Believe
by EpyonZero23
Summary: To believe is to have faith. To have faith is to put trust. Yet putting trust... was investing emotions. It was threading into a forbidden territory she was all too familiar with. Response to LadyRinoa14's Endless Reflection challenge.


_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters. I wrote this fanfic for my own pleasure and purely entertainment purposes.

This story has been authored in response to LadyRinoa14's "Endless Reflection" challenge.

* * *

 **Believe**

"I've always asked myself why... my faith in the Gundam pilots is infallible. Unwavering... unfaltering, it was never bereft of confidence. However, as much as I wanted to believe that... it was but a mere excuse because my eyes... my attention was only fixed at him. The fact was... I have always known it. I might have failed to recognize it early, yet as time passed and the more I realize it... I am always left wondering... if I was blind or just pretending to be. I wanted to feign ignorance on the matter. Yet deep within me, buried inside of me... is the undeniable truth. "

She paused before smiling bitterly.

"I have feelings for him."

"But he's..." The person in front of her breathlessly uttered.

"I... know, right?" She sullenly replied.

Her crystalline blue eyes gazed dreamily at the panel windows next to their table. Past the lazy afternoon street that lay bare from her peripheral. She took a sip from her coffee and twisted her lips slightly before continuing.

"You can't choose who you fall for. Though, I must admit that... recognizing and coming clean about it was among the biggest surprises of my life."

"It certainly is... by the way, you mentioned before that you always dream about him." Her companion recalled, while quizzically looking at her.

"Yes. I... did."

0-0-0-0-0

She thought he looked so powerless... so vulnerable... utterly helpless in his current state. He was restrained and held against his own will. Yet despite this... his eyes remained calm yet defiant. It was ironic because he didn't seem to give a care on his existing predicament. He showed no fear and displayed no emotion. She could even say that he was still composed when he attempted to check the durability of his restraints.

' _Why? Do you seem so calm and collected? Your life hangs on a balance yet... you don't even seem to give a damn on your own welfare... if you would even make it through this?'_

She was still in such thoughts when he somehow felt or noticed that someone was watching him. He coolly met her gaze and impassively stared back at her. His irises... they were deep, unfathomable... they were hard to decipher. It was no different to glaring at a bottomless pit or at the very eyes of the abyss. It was difficult to comprehend. It was perplexing... even for her.

' _Why don't you fear for your life? Why do you even seem to be looking for your end? All things considered... why does it feel that everything is just normal for you?'_

He only returned her questioning look with an amused glance before turning his head away and closing both eyes.

' _Aren't you worried that these are possibly among your final moments? Aren't you afraid? You are... you are... but a boy. Yet why can't I even sense or detect the slightest hint of fear from you?'_

The questions she wanted to ask him were raging inside her mind. She contemplated for moment whether she'll approach him later on to get her answers or just simply let him be. She cleared her throat slightly, before deciding to leave the matter for the meanwhile.

The sudden wail of klaxons and blare of alarms flushed her out from such musings. It was followed by a series of explosions near his holding area. Debris and rubble spilled all over the place, next thing she saw he was already being assisted by another boy... probably the same age as him on escaping from the facility. The particles from the multiple detonations have barely settled when she discerned that his comrade already has an escape plan set into motion.

' _T-they... t-they wouldn't... oh...'_

Her lips were parted slightly in astonishment as both boys jumped down the blown off section from his detention cell. She was quick to detect that his rescuer had immediately opened a modified rotor landing unit. However... the boy she had earlier taken a keen notice of was not making any attempt at releasing the parachute given to him.

' _W-what are you thinking? Shouldn't you be pulling out the release cord for the parachute? Are you thinking of dying? Do you just want to end it here, right at this very moment? Why do you despise living your life? Why are you... just throwing your life away?'_

As if he heard all those questions running madly inside her mind, he pulled at the parachute's primary bag... however, considering the speed of his descent and the limited distance from where he initiated the parachute release... it was a disaster.

He lacked the necessary spacing required for a successful parachute launch. He should have pulled the release cord as soon as he leapt out of the facility to at least mitigate the miniscule distance between his jump point and his supposed landing zone.

 _'That was so rash... so irresponsible... so reckless...'_

The boy landed roughly at the face of the cliff, he rolled sideways to compensate for his uncontrollable momentum. He was sure to have a lot of bruises on his young body yet what astounded her most was the fact that... she hoped he'd be able to make it out of the ordeal alive.

0-0-0-0-0

"I know... not everything happened exactly as it was on my dream. Well, dreams are meant to be vague, right? I would... wake up at night, drenched in sweat... then I'd go to the kitchen get myself a glass of cold water. I... feel so drained after that." She admitted after recounting her dream.

"Why do you keep dreaming about that?"

"I... I don't know..."

"They say dreams reflect our innermost desire. Our most personal thoughts... things or persons that are always within our minds, when did this start?"

"Honestly... I'm not so sure myself. There's also this... incident that forever left a mark inside my heart and mind. I can't get that picture out of my head, I suppose this validated my belief in him and the Gundam pilots after seeing him survive such an ordeal." She thoughtfully admitted.

"Are you... referring to that _incident_?"

"Yeah, that _incident_."

"I can't blame you... that moment left me in utter shock as well. I mean... who in their right state of mind would do such a... reckless thing. You'd think he's a zealot for the cause his fighting for."

"I'll have to dispute that... you know as well as I do that he's... he was not yet aware of living a normal life outside the battlefield. He only thought of himself as an expendable tool... a soldier only made for war. He only considered himself as nothing but someone who takes orders and ensures he completes them into perfection." She wistfully elaborated.

0-0-0-0-0

Under the tactical genius of Lady Une, Treize Khushrenada's right-hand and brilliant strategist, OZ laid the perfect trap for the beleaguered Gundam Pilots. One of the supposed routes that were leaked turned out to be a decoy – drawing away Duo Maxwell and Quatre Rebarba Winner. While the true objective of their mission was escorted by no less than the biggest deterrent their enemy had in its disposal. Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton pursued the aerial convoy yet were hampered by the sheer numbers thrown at them by OZ and the masterful piloting of the enemy ace intent on bringing down their insurrection.

Wing Gundam continued its fierce duel with the Tallgeese, unleashing fierce slashes and exchanging powerful blows without any restraint. The Tallgeese didn't back down either, as it was relentless in crossing beam sabers with its opponent. Their titanic clash had been going on for some time already. Every swing or chop the fearsome white gargantuan suit unloaded on its opponent – the Wing Gundam always had a counterattack to level the fight.

Meanwhile not far from the duelling suits, the other Gundam was laying waste to a multitude of support units. Three Leos erupted into balls of hellish fire soon as a swarm of multi-missiles smashed through their armor. Another pair of Aries was decimated while in mid-air from a barrage of its chain gun. As the smoke and dust temporarily cleared, the Gundam Heavyarms keenly surveyed its immediate vicinity before turning to its port side and unloading another salvo from its chest gatling guns which easily eliminated a trio of Leo suits attempting to flank it.

Wing Gundam parried another slash from the Tallgeese then swiftly lunged at its opponent's midsection with the sole intent of piercing the cockpit with the beam saber. However, the Tallgeese pilot, Zech Marquise was quick to react, he already had his round shield prepared just in time to deflect the stab made by his enemy. Heero simply evaded the counterassault, yet even as he threw another combination of slashes they were only for naught as it was futilely absorbed by his opponent's shield. The mobile suit made from Gundamium alloy was employing a streamlined defensive manoeuvre. Alternating its crash shield to block a sudden thrust while using its beam saber to masterfully deflect slashes and backhand swings.

To a normal spectator, the duel seemed to be a graceful display of skill and grace between the two combatants. However, to a keen observer, it was easy to see that concealed beneath the breathtaking elegance of the fight was the savagery and brutality inexorably let loosed by the duelling pilots. The other Gundam on the field showed no apprehension as it continued to decimate another squad of Aries suits with the loud buzzing of its chain gun. Both Heero and Trowa knew that they were lagging behind the completion of their objective. OZ had no concern on the materiel and personnel it was losing – its machinery was made to endure even a war of attrition after the successful Operation Daybreak.

The tenacity of the Gundam pilots proved to be no match as Lady Une decided to deal her trump card in an effort to break the ongoing stalemate.

"Gundam Pilots! Lay down your arms and surrender at once! I have the space fortress Barge primed and ready to launch missiles at the Colonies upon failure to comply!" She sharply announced via open channel.

The Tallgeese and Wing Gundam abruptly ceased their duel upon hearing her demand.

"Lady Une, this is not what Colonel Treize wants!" Zechs Marquise responded via OZ's internal frequency.

"I have been given the authority by Master Treize Khushrenada to make this happen! Follow your orders!" She barked over the radio before shifting her attention back to the open channel.

"You... you Gundam Pilots refuse to stand down. Space Fortress Barge, open fire at the Colonies!"

Instantaneously another face appeared over the main display. It belonged to an elderly man wearing a lab gown and experimental goggles.

"So, OZ would resort to this kind of tactics. The Colonies should not be involved as this is my personal battle against your organization. If such is the case, then I will surrender. But I refuse to hand over the Gundams!" The older man with grey hair and dark tinted goggles defiantly replied.

Wing Gundam's cockpit suddenly opened, revealing its pilot to be no less than a young teenage boy. As OZ officials wondered from the unexpected shift in momentum caused by Lady Une's threat, the juvenile held out something in front of him.

Before anyone could react, the emerald sphere located at the very center of the mobile suit's chest piece radiated a mysterious glow of light. Everyone was still in awe when a huge globe of explosion suddenly engulfed the Wing Gundam, destroying almost everything in the vicinity... save for the Tallgeese who managed to veer away from the catastrophic detonation.

Amidst the ensuing chaos and confusion, the remaining Gundam on the field, Heavyarms swiftly made its way to the epicentre of detonation. Trowa Barton quickly scooped up the seemingly lifeless body of Heero Yuy... thrown haphazardly from his mobile suit's self detonation. He made haste of his escape while Zech Marquise and the Tallgeese could only watch helplessly from the unexpected shift of events.

0-0-0-0-0

"I was... scared back then. Worried, was not enough to describe what I felt the least bit. He was so... rash, there were a lot of conflicting thoughts running inside my head... was he a fanatic? Was he blinded by the cause or group he was fighting for?" She honestly shared while shaking her head sideways.

"Well... you know him. A Gundam Pilot's conviction is not something we could ever hope to fully comprehend." Her friend knowingly replied.

"You're right... after all these years... I thought, somehow... I understand him but he still keeps surprising me." She could not help but speak out her thoughts.

"Yet... that didn't stop you from... hmm, how should I say this... falling for him?" Her companion playfully teased.

"Y-yeah..." She lightly admitted, feeling her cheeks burn lightly.

"When did it start? I know it's still your discretion... but I really can't help but wonder... you and him... really, it somehow feels, surreal on a third person's perspective. It is... hard to explain. Do forgive me, though."

"I... agree with you, it definitely is hard to explain. There's really no better word to describe it... strange or surreal... we're... we're really odd for each other." She daintily confessed, a mixture of embarrassment and sadness tingeing her voice.

"Oh... that didn't stop you from liking him."

"Well... it should be more accurate to say... when I started to _believe_ in him. Him... doing the impossible... making it possible. Though of course, that time... I never thought of him as a man. He's a person who I could put my faith in, absolutely."

0-0-0-0-0

The fighting was fierce.

The battle was intense.

They have truly wrought havoc... bringing hell upon earth.

New Edwards base... was not just a warzone, it was also the scene of a gruesome massacre that shook the very foundation of Earth Federation forces. Blood was being spilled pitilessly and inexorably as soldiers from the Alliance had been throwing themselves in just to be butchered. They were no different to cattle... or lambs that were being led to the slaughterhouse.

For what it's worth... the Alliance forces were giving it their all... their very best in retaliation to the grim mistake he committed a few moments ago. Gundams Deathscythe, Heavyarms and Sandrock were all busy laying waste to the base's stubborn defenders still fighting down to the very last man. A flurry of multiple missiles was unleashed by the Heavyarms, obliterating all five Leo suits attempting to advance from their right flank. Deathscythe swung its massive scythe in a crescent-like motion, ripping two commander-type Leo's while the Sandrock zigzagged across the battlefield, cutting down a Tragos platform and a trio of Aries suits.

Yet the Wing Gundam did nothing.

It only stood still... while its comrades continued to wreck havoc all over the massive Alliance base.

The pilot, Heero Yuy was still in shock for the horrible mistake he had committed earlier.

They were deceived... they played right into OZ's trap.

' _I... no... I killed... Marshall Noventa... it was because of me... everything's gone wrong because of me...'_

Marshall Noventa was the Supreme Commander of the Alliance Forces – he was the prime proponent, the voice of reason and rallying figure in the efforts to resume peace talks between Earth Sphere and the Colonies. Yet due to misinformation disseminated by OZ, the Gundam Pilots were led to believe that the shuttle he had destroyed was ferrying the OZ organization's leadership.

' _What have I done... no... Marshall Noventa...'_

The loud buzzing sound of Trowa's chain gun was like a blaring horn, announcing the destruction of a squadron of Aries suits, each exploding like a globe of flame as he shot them down in mid-air. Duo Maxwell and his Deathscythe continued its savage assault, similar to the grim reaper, with the Gundam never relenting as it mangled three Leos with ease. The Gundam Sandrock was a fearsome titan, barely flinching while absorbing everything thrown at him by a squad of Leos before decimating every single unit thru vicious slashes from his pair of heat shotels.

He was receiving multiple transmissions from his comrades yet he paid them no attention. His mind was still struggling to comprehend the fact that he was instrumental to the full-scale war now looming on the horizon. He had all but eliminated the remaining key persons that could resolve the indifferences between Earth and the Colonies. The brown haired boy was purged from his musings after hearing a familiar voice hail out to him via the unsecured open channel.

"Mayday! Mayday! Calling out to the Gundam Pilots! OZ has staged a coup d'etat! Elements from the rebel faction have successfully armed the nuclear warheads during the confusion. We have done everything we could but they have jammed our systems preventing any cancellation via remote access."

"This is Major Sally Po from the Alliance Terrestrial Forces... we implore you, please... deactivate the nuclear device through the primary kill switch. You have already depleted our garrison force but we have no wish for both of us to get completely eradicated by OZ." The woman using the open channel continued.

He was about to reply when a beeping sound from the secure frequency they were using distracted him.

"Heero... this is Quatre, Major Po is right, New Edward's entire nuclear payload has been armed and set to detonate within... hold on... there's just seven minutes left!" The pilot of Gundam Sandrock reported.

"What are we waiting for? Let's do something! It's too late to get out of the blast radius considering the amount of nuclear arsenal their willing to discharge just to kill us all!" Duo interjected.

"Duo's right, we have no other choice but to defuse the bomb. Major Sally Po has already sent us the location of the primary kill switch... Heero, you're in the best position to turn off the timer." Quatre agreed as he also checked his port side display to see the information sent by the Alliance officer.

"Neutralize the bomb, Heero. We'll cover you." Trowa calmly said.

There was only one course of action – he was sure to take it... temporarily set aside the disturbing thoughts running inside his mind.

"Mission accepted." He coolly replied, pushing the transformation lever of Wing Gundam.

His mobile suit swiftly altered into its Neo-Bird mode before boosting towards the coordinates provided by Major Po. Quickly locating the designated spot, he pulled back the configuration pedal as his Gundam reverted to its mobile suit form.

Wing Gundam landed right on top of the primary kill switch however it was located a hundred feet underground. Heero decided to use the mobile suit's massive crash shield to penetrate the thick layer of asphalt and concrete that made up the outer layer of protection. Twisting the gigantic shield slightly to create the opening he needed, the brown haired boy wasted no time in exiting his mobile suit before jumping down the maze like cavern that housed the base's nuclear payload.

Heero was still on free fall when he brought out a pistol-like device from his side before quickly aiming at one of the massive support beams inside the underground facility. He neatly pulled the trigger, causing an arrestor-like cable with a javelin tip to shoot forth and embedding itself dead center on his designated mark. Using his free falling body's momentum, Heero swung forward, similar to a pendulum with the rooted javelin tip from the support bean as an anchor to catapult himself towards his destination.

"2 minutes, left, Heero!" Duo breathlessly reminded over their private channel.

The main switch was housed behind a massive tangle of cables and a network of metal bars. Moving as fast as he could with his lithe frame, Heero dove into the knotted web of wires and maze of cylinders before finally reaching his objective.

' _Hnn...'_ He muttered upon seeing the penultimate barrier between him and the kill switch.

The fingers from his right hand were tapping the numpad furiously when he heard Quatre provide the last update he'll expect from their secured line.

"Less than minute, Heero, you could do this!"

As if on queue, a beeping sound came off, followed by the hiss of a depressurized hull, a small opening was revealed to the cobalt eyed Gundam Pilot and past it was the mission objective.

He nimbly dove into the opening and twisted his in clock-wise motion before reaching out then immediately shutting down the kill switch.

There were only a few precious seconds left from the digital timer when he prevented the base's nuclear arsenal meltdown.

He had averted New Edwards' destruction and saved the lives of his fellow Gundam pilots alongside the remaining Alliance forces.

Satisfied that everything was in place and his mission had been completed, he radioed back to the other pilots while including the frequency that Major Po was utilizing.

"Mission complete." He simply uttered.

Heero didn't care at the jubilant hollers and cheers he heard from the background soon after receiving his confirmation.

He simply cut off the transmission.

As brown haired boy made his way back to the opening he created, Heero felt hollow deep within. Yes, he and the other Gundam pilots would live to fight for another day... but all in all his actions, the death of Marshall Noventa weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had just played right into the enemy's schemes with OZ now undeterred in its bid to take over the Earth Sphere and the Colonies. They were no better than puppets, manipulated by OZ into doing their bidding. Or much worst... fools who thought the complex war they started swiftly end with a simple all-out assault to a leaked intel.

His mind was swamped, his thoughts muddled, to put it aptly... he was a complete mess.

Somehow he was able to make it back inside his mobile suit. Soon as he closed the hatch of the cockpit, a blinking red light found by the lower right corner of his main panel caught his attention.

Someone was transmitting a message to him.

The Perfect Soldier debated if he would answer the transmission or just ignore the notice. However, against his better judgment, probably due to muscle memory or instinct... his hand moved on its own accord and patched in the communication.

A woman's face appeared on his display, she had curly locks of golden blonde hair with silvery blue eyes that seemed to glisten with hope and determination.

He easily ascertained that it was but a recorded message – probably completed and sent out just a few moments ago.

"Thank you, Heero. Thank you for what you have done. I knew my gut feeling was right... to place my belief in you. Don't lose hope, everyone makes mistakes. It is true that we are held accountable by our actions... yet how we better ourselves from each setback is what defines the truth of our motivations." Major Sally Po softly said.

She kindly smiled at him before the screen went offline.

0-0-0-0-0

She smiled sadly while feeling the surface of her warm cup filled with macchiato. It was already her third serving, yet they had been so engrossed with her tale that they forgot the time. Her fingertips gently tapped the pottery with a steady rhythm before taking another sip from her coffee. Her friend smiled knowingly in return while subtly shaking her head sideways.

She can't blame her companion... especially after going through a lot of difficulty just to find her. A lot has happened since the Eve Wars and Mariemaia's Rebellion, she decided to quit her job and relocate to a remote province while keeping a very low-key profile if it meant peace of mind for everyone involved.

She had violated the very code she had sworn to uphold on her profession. But how could she be faulted? Or to put the matter objectively – was it solely her fault? She only wanted to help. She offered her expertise and understanding. She dedicated herself in helping him transition to the civilian life after the conclusion of the wars. Yet the more she wanted to understand him... they got closer to each other. It made them more vulnerable... more receptive... to one another.

It was too late for her when she finally realized that she already had something for him. She couldn't stop herself... especially when he made it clear to her that he was dead set on acting on his emotions. She tried to stop him but much to her own chagrin... the entirety of her wanted him to be hers. He claimed her and the feelings he stirred were... nothing she had experienced before. He was filled with passion beneath his cold and calculating self, she was sure of it because he never failed to express his emotions during the intimate moments they shared together.

Yet those... times felt too long ago... seemed so distant right now.

Reality had kicked in, all she could do was pack her bags and discreetly leave.

Whatever they had... caused pain to another person.

The ensuing drama and emotional distress... was a burden she wanted solely to take responsibility.

She decided to silently relinquish all claims and let him go.

She didn't want to get in the way because, not once... nor even on times they shared one bed did he tell her that he loved her.

She was sure though that it... was _that_ for her.

She admitted it to him one night he was sound asleep after an intimate encounter.

They remained silent and contented themselves at the sprawling view from where their table was situated. Her friend seemed to want to ask her a plethora of questions but felt it was not the best time to plod her with inquiries brought simply by curiosity and disbelief. She knew that her acquaintance just decided to keep those thoughts to herself probably in respect to their closeness and familiarity with each other.

However, she was still a bit startled when her friend opened up on the obvious predicament she was facing right now.

"So... what are your plans now? Do you... still plan on going solo? Keeping him out?"

"I... don't want him to trouble him... at least, I have something to remember him by." She softly stated in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

"You can't elude him forever... a man of his calibre... he'll find you."

"That is... if he is even looking for me in the first place." She calmly replied before winking at her companion.

"But we both know... that's not the case."

It was the truth that I believe in and long accepted.

' _It will never be the case.'_ Her thoughts solemnly mused as she gently laid the cup on their coffee table.

0-0-0-0-0

 **Author's Notes:**

First of all I wanted to convey my appreciation to the reader for taking the time to read this story. This short tale happens to be my first non-crossover fic since I belong primarily to the GW crossover writers. Next, I would like to give my sincerest thanks to LadyRinoa14 for the invitation to participate on the Endless Reflection challenge in observance and celebration of Gundam Wing's 25th Anniversary.

I began reading and following GW fanfiction because I am a 1xR fan. I still am and I really like their pair yet the reason I was motivated to write crossover fanfiction is because I wanted to pair Heero Yuy with girls, ladies or women from other anime series after reading stories that have very interesting alternate pairings. There are already a lot of great 1xR stories out there... and I'm the kind of guy who thrives on experimenting something new. So... that's that.

This one-shot is actually a... test bed on a bigger tale I have in mind. So you could really consider this an excerpt if that story ever materializes. However, I'm still working on two other series and considering my profession (yep, already working), I can only write updates sparingly when time permits.

Now... do you already know or have an idea on who the mystery woman is? Read on for your curiosity's satisfaction!

0-0-0-0-0

It was already nightfall.

The moon and countless stars reign supreme across the heavens, deposing the sun who'll reassert its dominance tomorrow by daybreak. The evening wind was cool, leaving a soothing sensation over her skin as she relished every passing moment while on her way home.

It reminded her of the times they would walk together, under the moonlight, side by side, en route to her apartment after a long day at work. She sighed subtly before lightly patting her swollen belly. The fruit of their... extraordinary relationship was steadily growing inside her. She had no courage to say the word that truly defined their connection... for all she knew... it was only one sided. She could only smile sadly and consoled herself with the fact that at the very least, that somehow... a part of him would still be with her. Even if she could never have him... she was contented that her truest emotions will be dedicated in taking care of that wonderful blessing five months from now.

"I hope she was able to return home safely." She spoke to herself, referring to the friend whom she met with at the coffee shop just half an hour ago while passing through a dense row of trees.

"You worry about Noin... but did you ever think about me... even for just a while?" A deep, husky voice suddenly inquired.

Instinctively, she turned towards the direction where the voice came from. Her cool silvery blue orbs widened in disbelief upon seeing its owner.

It was him no doubt... the very same person that always lingered inside her memories.

"H-Heero...?"

Slowly, the Perfect Soldier revealed himself behind the tree just a few meters to her right.

"You can never... hide from me."

"I..." Her voice trailed as she felt something pounding hard inside her chest.

"I didn't like it when you decided to reveal yourself with another person first after disappearing from everyone... from me... three months ago." He coolly stated while his cobalt eyes stared deeply at hers.

"Look... both of us did a lot of things we shouldn't have. We made... a lot of mistakes." She tried to reply in a composed manner.

"Our relationship... was never a mistake." He seriously answered.

"Relationship? We... never had one, Heero. I never knew my place with you. Maybe... I never even had one in the first place." She calmly responded, trying her best to mask the pain dwelling inside her heart.

"Everything was vague... honestly... I don't even understand the need to explain myself. Look, I don't blame you for all the things that happened between us. So you don't need to feel sorry or be burdened, if you want closure..."

She was unable to finish her sentence as Heero sealed her lips in a deep and passionate kiss. He claimed her assertively... and much to her own surprise... she felt her lips instinctively answering in return. Her arms seemed to have a mind of their own as they expectantly returned his embrace... even her feet and legs were beginning growing weak...

' _I'm... drowning... I'm... losing...'_

However, her sane, rational self was able to recover... fortunately for her... logic won over impulse. She pushed him away with whatever force she could muster and slapped him instinctively on his cheek.

It left a stinging sensation to her palm.

Yet he was undeterred.

"I don't want any closure." Heero gravely spoke locking her in a match of stares.

"I want to be burdened because I'm sure of myself... that I'll never be sorry." The brown haired young man resumed before pausing to heave a long drawn sigh.

"You're unfair too... you know full well that I needed a lot of guidance when it comes to romance and relationships... you were all too willing to run away and shoulder everything by yourself."

"H-Heero..."

"Stop pushing me away, no matter where you go or hide I'll always be there. I will find you, because you're mine... whether you like it or not." He declared as she felt her heart pounding furiously.

"I am in love with you, Sally."

"Heero..." Her voice trailed upon finally hearing the words... she had long waited for.

Emboldened by her reaction, Heero stepped forward and gently held each of her shoulders before gazing deeply into her silvery blue irises. "Believe in me."

She tenderly smiled while using the back of her palm to wipe away the warm crystal tears that managed to escape from her grasp.

"I always believe in you... because once again... you just made something I thought... impossible... possible."

The Perfect Soldier subtly twisted the edge of his lips upon hearing her response.

"I am in love with you too... Heero."

He lightly grunted in acknowledgment before pulling her close to him and resuming the kiss that was previously interrupted.

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Thank you so much for reading the story!

Don't forget to leave a review, please tell me what you think! – EZ23


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